Please help - Insects on pepper plants

[jonohanson]

Hi, today I have noticed tiny white insects on my pepper plants does anyone know what they are and if they do any damage how to get rid of them??

They seem to be only on the pepper plants in the green house, everything else in their seems unaffected.

Many thanks.

P.s my cucumber plant has 3 big cucumbers about 4-5" long and as fat as a supermarket one but dont seem to have grown any more in the last week, should I take these off to encourage growth of the others?

Thanks in advance

[IMG]

[Two_Sheds]

They're out of focus (have you got a Macro button on your camera for close-ups?)
but I reckon they're whitefly. Have a go with your Search button for old threads.. there must be 100s on whitefly.

[jonohanson]

thanks for the reply, sorry about the focus on the pics they were taken on my phone, will have a search though, thankyou

[Snadger]

If they are white and they fly.........they ARE whitefly!

[jonohanson]

well they dont fly at the moment there really tiny, unless there just babys?? I have a bush in the front garden with loads of aphids on and loads of ladybirds eating them, so i might move some ladybirds to the green house??

[Flummery]

Wash them off by squirting water with a drop of washing-up liquid on them. Initially it washes them off but it also damages the waxy coating and dispatches them. I find that peppers - and basil - are particularly prone to getting them.

[terrier]

My pepper plants were ruined last season by Peach Potato Aphid, just couldn't get rid of them They started on a shop bought plant and befor I realised they'd spread to my other plants. They are tiny white Aphids that don't fly and almost look like ash on the leaves. I hope your plants don't have them.

[jonohanson]

it sounds like you might be right about the white aphids, they have no wings i hope the ladybirds i put in will sort them out, i will also wash the leaves down with soapy water spray and hope I can get them under control, we have had ants farming aphids on other plants but i cant see them farming these ones, I squashed as many as I could see but they appear to be on most leaves...

[rustylady]

Try planting some Tagetes (French Marigolds) in the greenhouse - they do help to control whitefly - they don't like the smell of them.

[jonohanson]

I'm thinkig of buying some parasetic wasps, will they do the job ok?? and the oh wants to know if they sting you??

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

Don't waste your money. French marigold does the trick ~ about £1 for six plants?